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Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

We have combined these two powerful search tools into a single Find a Plant service searching over 250,000 plant records.

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  • If you enter just a plant name, you will see results from the old RHS Plant Finder and Selector databases
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  • AGM plants

    AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

    • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
    • Available to buy
    • Of good constitution
    • Essentially stable in form & colour
    • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
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Ligustrum lucidum

Chinese privet

AGM plants

AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

  • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
  • Available to buy
  • Of good constitution
  • Essentially stable in form & colour
  • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
Sold by 21 nurseries

  • Other common names Chinese privet
    Chinese wax tree

    glossy privet
    shining-leaved privet
    white wax tree

    see more

  • Family Oleaceae

  • Genus Ligustrum can be decidous or evergreen shrubs or small trees, with simple, entire leaves and panicles of small, often unpleasantly scented white flowers in spring or summer, followed by black or deep purple berries

  • Details L. lucidum is a small evergreen tree with broadly oval, glossy leaves to 15cm in length, and small, creamy-white flowers in panicles to 15cm in length in summer and early autumn. Fruit a small black berry, seldom formed

  • Plant range S & E China

Characteristics

  • Foliage Evergreen

  • Habit Bushy

  • Fragrance Flower

  • Toxicity All parts may cause severe discomfort if ingested. Wear gloves and wash hands after handling

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H5

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect South-facing or East-facing or West-facing

  • Exposure Exposed or Sheltered

Soil

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Sand

    Sand

  • MoistureWell-drained

  • SoilChalk, Loam, Sand

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 8-12 metres

  • Ultimate spread wider than 8 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 20-50 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow in any well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade

Propagation Propagate by taking semi-hardwood cuttings in summer or hardwood cuttings in winter

Suggested planting locations and garden types Hedging & Screens Low Maintenance

How to care

Pruning Pruning group 1 in summer

Pests May be attacked by aphids, scale insects, leaf miners and thrips

Diseases Generally disease free

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